Brazil and mainland China signed in early September a memorandum of understanding on electronic commerce aimed at strengthening co-operation and promoting the expansion of bi-lateral commercial linkages in this area. Brazilian Secretary of Trade and Services Marcelo Maia observed that the information exchange provisions of the MOU will help the two sides in such areas as the promotion and regulation of e-commerce. The MOU will also allow government authorities to understand how Brazil and mainland China carry out measurements and develop statistics on this sector.

The two sides also renewed a 2011 co-operation agreement between Brazil’s National Institute of Technology, Normalisation and Industrial Quality (INMETRO) and mainland China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ). The goal of this agreement is to improve the compliance of products sold in each other’s markets with all applicable requirements. Ministry of Industry, Trade and Services Marcos Pereira declared that this agreement will improve the existing surveillance mechanisms and reduce the number of accidents caused by non-compliant products.